The American Atlas: or, A Geographical Description of the whole continent of America: wherein are delineated at large, its several regions, countries, states, and islands; and chiefly the British Colonies, Composed from numerous Surveys, several of which were made by Order of Government. By Major Holland, Lewis Evans, William Scull, Henry Mouzon, Lieut. Ross, J. Cook, Michael Lane, Joseph Gilbert, Gardner, Hillock, &c. &c. Engraved on forty-nine copper-plates, by the Late Mr. Thomas Jefferys, Geographer to the King, and Others

Jefferys, Thomas

Edité par R. Sayer and J. Bennett, London, 1776

A propos de cet article

Second edition, expanded. London: Printed by R. Sayer and J. Bennett, 1776. Folio (21 11/16" x 15 3/4", 550mm x 402mm): [pi]-2[pi]^1 (title, blank, index, blank). With 30 engraved hand-outlined (some colored) plates (comprising 23 maps), of which 29 are folding and 1 is single. Bound in modern half calf over marbled boards. On the spine, six raised bands. Title gilt to red morocco in the second panel. Restored by James and Stuart Brockman (2021, full report available). Some tanning to the peripheries of the plates. Maps numbered on verso in early ink (stamps?). Else fine. Thomas Jefferys (1719-1771) was geographer first to the Prince of Wales and then, upon his accession, to George III. From the 1750's he had been issuing maps of the Americas, which, because of the Prince of Wales's patronage, benefitted from the most up-to-date surveys. After his death, Sayer and Bennett came to own his copyright and, doubtless, his plates. In 1775 they issued the first collection of his maps in addition to others', doubtless in response to the commencement of hostilities in April of that year. As tensions rose, demand -- from American and British officers, crucially -- rose with it, not only for the original maps but to more detailed and precise maps of crucial battlegrounds. The 1776 edition is the great setting of the stage for the War of Independence, the preparation of the board on which the game would be played. It is telling which maps were updated: 8, "A map of the british empire in North America" is now "improved from the surveys of capt. Carver"; 17 (orig. 18) "The provinces of New York and New Jersey, with part of Pensilvania" is now "improved from the original materials by govern. Pownall"; and generally more focus on the regions flanking the modern U.S.-Canada border, as with the addition of map 18: "A survey of lake Champlain, including lake George, Crown point and St. John. . ." Collation of this sort is a concrete and underexploited way of tracking shifting British strategy. Harley-Petchenik-Towner Mapping the American Revolutionary War pp. 85-7, Howes J81, Phillips 1166, Sabin 35953.

N° de réf. du vendeur 6JLR0150

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The American Atlas: or, A Geographical Description of the whole continent of America: wherein are delineated at large, its several regions, countries, states, and islands; and chiefly the British Colonies, Composed from numerous Surveys, several of which were made by Order of Government. By Major Holland, Lewis Evans, William Scull, Henry Mouzon, Lieut. Ross, J. Cook, Michael Lane, Joseph Gilbert, Gardner, Hillock, &c. &c. Engraved on forty-nine copper-plates, by the Late Mr. Thomas Jefferys, ...
• Éditeur: R. Sayer and J. Bennett, London
• Date de parution: 1776
• Reliure: Hardcover
• Édition: Second.
• État de l'article: Near fine
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • Maps & Atlases
  • Americana